Two East Texans make cut at Texas State Open

DALLAS - While Brax McCarthy of Fort Worth opened up a nine-stroke lead over his closest competitors, East Texas amateurs Blake Elliot of Bullard and Logan Lockwood of Van continued their solid play at the 46th Veritex Bank Texas State Open on Thursday at Trinity Forest Golf Club.

Both Elliot and Lockwood fired one-over-par 71s and were tied for 30th and 41st, respectively. Elliot, who will be a senior at McNeese State this fall, had a 54-hole total of even-par 210 while Lockwood, a sophomore-to-be at Texas State, was at 213.

McCarthy was a sizzling 15 under par on the tough, links-style Trinity Forest course that will host the 2018 AT&T Byron Nelson. The Fort Worth pro led a group of five that included Joel Thelen of Fort Worth and amateur Andrew Paysse of Temple who tied McCarthy and Juan Fernandez of Paradise Valley, Arizona, for low round of the day with a 65.

Elliot safely was within the cut line of three over when play was completed Wednesday but Lockwood had to play three holes Thursday morning to complete his second round and join the 62 players surviving to play the final two rounds.